Born Steven Paul Smith in Omaha, NE. Raised in a musical family, acclaimed singer-songwriter Smith first recorded with Portland, Oregon-based alternative rockers Heatmiser. Despite achieving a modicum of success with this band's generic Fugazi-inspired hard rock, Smith felt happier recording acoustic material on his home four-track set-up. His solo career began after he mailed a tape to local independent label Cavity Search. His debut set, "Roman Candle," appeared in 1994. The album introduced Smith's sparse folky style and introspective lyricism, redolent of the work of English singer Nick Drake. Later releases appeared on the Olympia, Washington-based independent label Kill Rock Stars, as Smith balanced his solo career with his continuing involvement in Heatmiser. By 1997's "Either/Or," however, Heatmiser had split and Smith relocated to Brooklyn. His big break came about when cult film director and long-time fan Gus Van Sant used six of Smith's songs on the soundtrack to his acclaimed GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997). The stand-out track "Miss Misery" was nominated for an Oscar® for Best Original Song, leading to the memorable sight of a dour Smith performing at March 1998's Academy Award® ceremony. Smith had already taken the plunge earlier in the year and signed to the DreamWorks label. Any worries that a major label would choke his independent spirit and songwriting skills were dispelled when the superb "XO" was released in August. Produced (like "Either/Or") by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf of Bong Load, the album confirmed that Smith had developed into one of the finest songwriters of the 90s. His old albums were also re-released by Domino. In 2000, he delivered "Figure 8," which indulged in lush arrangements and orchestrations more so than any of his previous solo efforts. For the next two years, Smith labored over what was to be his last album, "From a Basement on a Hill." He would not live to see its completion however, and to the shock of friends and fans alike, he died in Los Angeles on 21 October 2003 from a self-inflicted stabbing.  Nominated for Achievement in Music (Original Song) 1997: GOOD WILL HUNTING "Miss Misery" - Music & Lyric 1 nomination